Changes are inevitable in life whether they be personal or societal, but they may or may not always be good, depending on how individuals view that change. In the short story, “The Shining Houses”, people who are from a younger generation want to expand their community so it better fits the modern advancement however, all this would occur at the cost of bringing down valuables that belong to an old lady. The change that the community wants to make is to upgrade all the houses into “shiny houses”, while Mrs. Fullerton does not want to give up her house that she has lived in for “fifty years”, she describes it as “something else”. We all at some point in our lives get the opportunity to right the wrong, in this case Mary, the main character …show more content…
stands up not only for her principles but also for Mrs. Fullerton’s “rights”. She does not conform to the popular opinion to destroy the old lady’s home, instead she stands up for the originality of her home. When faced with dilemma individuals should stay true to themselves by adhering to their morals and principles in order to be righteous to the rest of society and as well as themselves. Individuals find it incredibly challenging especially when it comes to challenging the popular opinion.
People are often criticized or even attacked sometimes for disagreeing with the popular opinion. In the short ‘The shining houses’, Mary, the protagonist of the story has an opinion that vastly differs from the rest involving Mrs. Fullerton’s house. The community wants to get rid of the old lady’s house just because it does not resonate with the beauty of the rest of the “shining houses” in the community. Mary is a sign of hope for Mrs. Fullerton when two individuals Carl and Edith force her to sign the petition to eradicate the “fifty year old” house, Mary stands up for the old lady’s rights. Mary refuses to conform to what the society believes in despite the overwhelming opposition coming “invincibly from all sides”, she disagrees with the destruction of old ways of the community. Mrs. Fullerton’s house symbolizes the old way of life and tradition that people adhered by so, the destruction of that house would constitute the bullying of the older generation by the younger generation in a way. The stability of an entire community lies in the perception of the old ways as a building block for newer ideas and development. Change does not always constitute a good result in the sense that some people might be harmed by a particular change while other’s benefit, a legitimate change should have the characteristic of satisfying everybody while respecting the opinion of the …show more content…
minority. Changes and alterations to a certain system are inevitable however, they must be regulated in a way so the people in minority are not burdened in anyway or in other words change should not be permitted if it infringes the rights of even a small group of people.
Mary definitely has an understanding of this aspect when she is told to “think of the community”, this demonstrates to the reader that Mary is impartial, meaning that she takes into account all aspects of an issue before making the decision to support the old woman. Mary realizes that she cannot possibly compete with the overwhelming support for the community’s plan to drive out Mrs. Fullerton, nonetheless her morals and dignity is still intact because Mary does not budge from her stand for the rights of the old lady. She knows that all she can do is keep a “disaffected heart” and continue to do what is right in her mind. The story also serves to portray the hypocrisy of the community towards Mrs. Fullerton because it does not take into account Mrs. Fullerton’s opinion while she was one of the founders of the community since she has lived in it for over “fifty years”. The young generation in a way has mistreated the elderly in this story therefore, giving us a chance to make an inference that changes to a system are implemented regardless of the approval of the weak, which in this case is the old lady who is denied the chance to exercise her
rights. On a personal level I have experienced similar scenarios in my life which have included me sticking up for individuals who were innocent and defenseless from people who picked on them. A real life scenario that I can relate to this story is from the time when I was in elementary school. My friend used to get bullied because everyone presumed that he was not good at basketball because of his height so, during playtime he would watch from the side lines because nobody would pick him to be on their team. I witnessed this same routine for quite a while until I talked to him and asked him to play with me and during this time he demonstrated exceptional ball handling skills and as well as good shooting. This made me remember the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover, I realized at this point that vast majority of us ignore something we feel is unfit for us, on the contrary it is really beneficial for us. As I look at it now I feel really proud of myself for not giving in to the popular opinion and investigating for myself to find out what the reality is. People should be given an equal chance to express themselves in terms of their respective issues or conflicts they face, in order to reach a fair and just resolution to their dilemmas. One must follow through with their morals and principles when faced with dilemmas in order to make rational decisions concerning major events in their life, events such as major changes or implementation to a working system. The arguments outline the consequences that pertain to making rash decisions that concern the entire community, which ultimately end up hindering the minority who disapprove of such decisions. It is also related with my personal experience which is similar to that of Mrs. Fullerton, the experience outlines the hardships an individual faces when determining the right course of path concerning the rights and opportunities given to individuals.
Once everybody changed from black and white to color, Pleasantville was now happy again. But this happiness was not because of a boring routine, but because of beautiful change and multicolored experiences. Times change and these rebels that see differently than everyone else influence these changes. Change is what makes the world go round.
Many people everyday worry how they’ll be seen in the world. You will either be loved for being the ideal person, or live a life of shame and sorrow because you chose or have to be different than others. I believe that the theme of the story is best represented as, Don’t conform to society, allow society to conform to you. In the tragedy genre short story “The Scarlet Ibis” written by James Hurst we receive a first hand account of how cruel a society can be. Doodle died only because someone tried too hard to change someone who didn’t want as much to be changed. The opinions of society can completely alter how one’s life will play out.
The symbols in The Catcher in the Rye and “Nothing Gold Can Stay” prove that change cannot be avoided. The Catcher in the Rye has important symbols that show change does occur, no matter how badly one wants to avoid it. For example, the Museum of Natural History contains displays that Holden is enthralled by. In the museum, there is glass that keeps artifacts out of time and decay (Bloom, J.D.
In conclusion, Mary Warren knows what is right and what is wrong. However, she is more concerned about her health and well-being than someone else’s. She becomes cocky when given power and betrays whoever she can when she is pinned against a wall. As long as it looks bad for her, she would be willing to call out anyone to save herself. Therefore, she is an antagonist of the play with very little similar traits when juxtaposed to a typical protagonist.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman tells a tale of a cranky old man who has nothing to live for. He gripes at the daily visits of the neighbor’s cat, and swears away any gestures of kindness or happiness. This story strays away from the other stories previously mentioned, because through the novel, Ove realizes that his life does not have to be so sad and lonely if only he allows for change in his life. This is unlike other stories due to the common nature of humans to resist major changes in life because they are so used to one set of ideas. Further into the novel, the reader will experience the change that Ove notices in his life after changing his views and the way he sees the world he lives in. This evidence is proof that change can in fact, be a very good thing not only for one person, but for communities, societies, and the
The thought of even having to touch the aides disgust Mary because they are a physical representation of the reality she is denying. When she is told that she may have to kill her daughter, she reacts poorly, as most would expect a mother to, however she has gone to extremes. She accuses her husband of having never loved their daughter and that the only thing keeping them married was the daughter and that without Jennifer, Peter would have left Mary (156-158). This intense outburst from a woman who is usually so calm when tragedy affects those outside of her narcissistic bubble only goes to show further the indifferent attitude of denial. When made to recognize the oncoming death, she cannot fathom it, and tries to find other reasons for Peter trying to get her to come to terms with “murdering” her daughter.
Attempt to change can lead to consequences. In “The Chrysanthemums” there is this woman named Eliza Allen that lives with her husband on a ranch in the time period of the great depression. During that time hard work is important in order to live a good life. Eliza is mostly seen working on the fields and in her garden with her chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemums are like Eliza’s children. She takes such precise care in them that “No aphids were there, no sowbugs or sails or cutworms. Her terrier fingers destroyed such pests before they could get started” (96). Her husband doesn’t notice her passion and love for them stating
The lust for control dwells in every human being. We like to be comforted with the idea of authority because it gives us a sense of power and certainty towards the future. The text “To set Our House in Order” takes place in a fictional setting of Manawaka, Manitoba, during the time of the Great Depression. Through this text Margaret Laurence depicts the idea that one may face many difficulties in the fight for order upon situations that are beyond human control. Laurence assembles her characters with very different personality traits to show contrast and conflicting ideas. Vanessa the main protagonist of the story, along with Grandmother Macleod, possess a longing for “order” and certainty. As the plot progresses so does Vanessa’s way of thinking.
The state of a flawed society is an issue that many people recognize, but have different ways of approaching it. In the case of William Faulkner’s “A Rose For Emily” he examines the raw truth of the act of avoiding a flawed and evolving society. Whereas, “A Doll’s House” by Katherine Mansfield portrays the way that a flawed society can change through small acts of resistance that break the boundaries of social hierarchies. Both Mansfield and Faulkner use houses as symbols of a flawed society in their stories, however the manner in which they use these symbols are very different.
Humphrey 's marriage ultimately made her vulnerable to the potential of her husband deserting, as through marriage, she relinquished her own material wealth to her husband and did not possess the skills that are required for her own self-sustenance. "... Once married, their property rights reverted to their husbands," ("Women 's Rights"). Under these circumstances, women within nineteenth century Ontario often devoted themselves to their husband for the rest of their lives, as the husbands provided all the means of sustenance for the whole family. As a result, women were very unlikely to abandon their husbands, yet the opposite was more common. "Women were expected to raise children, look after their homes, [etc.] ..." ("Women 's Rights"). Thus, as men were responsible for providing basic needs for the family, women were often given the secondary roles in ensuring the comfort of the family, especially their husband. Specifically, wives obtain skills that only supplement their husbands, which ultimately, becomes worthless by itself. “... And if they were to lose all their money tomorrow, they would not even be able to make a living by honest whoring ..." (Atwood 182). Within the passage, Mary Whitney, Grace 's late friend, refers to the "domesticated" upper-class women 's inability to provide for themselves and only able to provide comfort for the husband and the family. Consequently, as those women have been sheltered for most, if not their entire lives they become incapable of even prostitution, which is apparent in the case of Ms. Humphrey. Arguably, the case of Ms. Humphrey is that she was exploited by her husband, then abandoned when her husband did not want her anymore. Ultimately, society 's idealized role for women within a family, created a lasting effect that forced women to be completely dependent on their husbands in order to
Change, the essential of life, it can be tranquility or turbulence, change has no set goal, it occurs all around us without us knowing. In the novel, The Chrysalids, by John Wyndham, change is the major problem in the society even though it is hidden in different aspects of life. To the society, change is their enemy, but it is themselves who are their enemies without knowing it. A society that fails to realize the inevitability of change will indubitably agonize.
The story of man dictates that change is found reasonable by many, while for others the idea itself can prove too overwhelming. Since their creation, walls have offered people shelter, residency, security, and a great degree of certainty. In the chapter, “Block Party,” of Women of Brewster Place, author, Gloria Naylor, focuses on the unwillingness of people to part with their homes, neighbors, surroundings, etc., even when the promise of a better life beckons them forth. In this context, Gloria Naylor depicts Brewster Place as a false paradise for its residents, who remain idle out of the fear of being outed as social rejects, “undesirables,” somewhere else. Naylor approaches the central idea that comfort is not always a blessing through the
Another point Fuller states is that “As to her home, she is not likely to leave it more than she now does for balls. If the negro be a soul, if the woman be a soul, appareled in flesh, to one master only are they accountable. There is but one law for all souls, and, if there is to be an interpreter of it, he comes not as man, or son of man, but as Son of God. Fuller’s point in saying this is to convince women that they need to take a stand and that what they are fighting for is the work of God.
In William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," we see how past events affect the life of the main character Miss Emily, especially her inability to accept change. Throughout the story Miss Emily goes to extreme measures to protect her social status. Miss Emily lives in the past to shield herself from a future that holds no promises and no guarantees. William Faulkner illustrates Miss Emily's inability to accept change through the physical, social and historical settings, all of which are intimately related to the Grierson house.
Life is a series of frequent changes. At some point in life one will be tossed into circumstances that urges one to make decisive life choices and adjust particular behavior for the aim of becoming a better form of oneself. Despite one’s recognition that modifications have to be done, the process of changing is difficult. Thus, some individuals are scared to change and refuse to do so. In “ A Rose for Emily”, William Faulkner uses literary tools such as the setting, symbolisms and the conflicts to develop his theme that fixation of the past will wound one’s present. Falkner exemplified that changes are inevitable and refusal to accept the progression will only result in decadence that eventually will induce negative effects in one’s life.